


Guess Who?

by PrettyMessedUpSituation (MarcelinesNightosphere)



Series: Drabbles and Ficlets from Prompts [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Best Friends, Deaf Castiel, M/M, Prom, Sign Language, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-10
Updated: 2015-06-10
Packaged: 2018-04-03 19:19:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4112103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarcelinesNightosphere/pseuds/PrettyMessedUpSituation
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Friends as children, Cas and Dean grew apart in high school - but toward the end of senior year, Dean realizes how much he's missed his friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Guess Who?

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [angelicallysassy](http://www.angelicallysassy.tumblr.com).  
> Rebloggable version [here](http://prettymessedupsituation.tumblr.com/post/121172201313/alright-alright-alright-listen-i-always-need-more).

Guess Who? was always complicated, but it was their favorite game. They made up their own language that was a lot easier than playing anything else. As they grew older, it was Guess Who? Charades, and then Battleship Charades, followed by Clue Charades. They understood each other, and thought that if someone tried to come into their game, they’d be confused because their codes were  _so_  clever. Cas would swipe his forehead with two fingers and tug down on an invisible bill to ask if the person had a hat. Dean would tug at his shirt, stab the air, hold up his red kool-aid, and draw back an imaginary pool cue to let Cas know that it was Mr. Green who stabbed Ms. Scarlet in the Billiard Room. Knowing each other’s codes was perfect for game play; it was when they wanted to tell each other stories about their day that things fell silent too quickly.

Dean liked not talking when he was with Cas. People didn’t think he’d take to him so well, a gregarious little dude who was great at baseball and popular in every crowd who found a place with a quiet child who was interested in reading and trivia. Being deaf was never a big deal, unless the other kids made it into one. Some were assholes long before their time, and just to avoid the unpleasantness, Cas stayed mostly to himself. Though when Dean was around, the world was much more alive. And for Dean, being around Cas was a sense of calm.

High school brought about change, as it does with everyone. Cliques formed, extracurricular activities eat up all free time, and then there were longings. Boyfriends, girlfriends, friends with benefits – everyone seemed to have someone. Cas, with his summer reading list nearly complete as usual, wondered what high school would bring for him.

For three years he studied hard and made straight A’s, even taking on some dual enrollment classes with the college to get some of those knocked out. A sweet girl named Charlie befriended him and was by his side all the time. They had started learning sign language together freshman year, and now were fast-talkers, waving their hands, fingers shouting in the library, pausing and repositioning in nimble movements.

 _Do you have a date to prom?_  Charlie asked.

_No. You?_

Charlie smiled and blushed, hiding her face for a moment before whispering. “You know Christie Mueller?”

_No way. That’s awesome!_

His hands were happy for Charlie, but the look in his eyes told her he was lonely.

_You know, you could come with us._

_That’s pathetic. I’m not going to be the third wheel on your first date._

“How do you know it’s our first?”

_Because, you spend all your time with me. Go. Have fun. For both of us._

Charlie thought for a moment.  _What if I found you a date?_

Prom was in three months.  _If you find me a date, I’ll go. And don’t bring some random cousin of yours just so I have a date. If I’m going, I want a real date._

 

Dean’s high school career was a little different. Being sucked into football in the fall, wrestling in the winter, and baseball in the spring, he was always training, always in the locker room, and always lonely. He had a hard time connecting with anyone on his teams. Their idea of relaxing was a party with too much alcohol - his was staying home and watching a movie, or reading a new book. That’s why he was in the library that day, staring at Cas and his friend from the stacks. Watching Cas talking to someone with his hands, those hands that used to make baseball signs to win a game of Guess Who?, were flowing with words and a voice that Dean had never heard. He forgot about the book he had come in to find. He went to the media counter and asked, “Do you have any books on American Sign Language?”

Dean found Charlie in the hallway and pulled her aside. She looked confused, staring at her elbow and up the hand that held her to see the face of one of the most popular kids at the school, who apparently wanted to talk to  _her_.

“Um, hi,” she said, her body still rigid from confusion.

Dean let her arm go. “You’re friends with Cas, right?” he asked, knowing the answer.

“Yeah, he’s like the Chewy to my Han. Why?”

“I…I saw you guys talking the other day in the library, and I was wondering –“

“If he’s still single? Because he  _so_  is and totally needs a date for prom.  _If_ that was what you were wondering, that is. That _is_  what you were wondering, right?”

Dean looked at his feet.

“I’ll take that as a closeted maybe.”

“I was actually going to ask if you could help me with something.”

For three months, Charlie and Dean stole away in the dugout after practices were over. He was a dedicated learner, finding difficulty in relaxing his hands and letting them do the talking. When it came time for prom tickets to be sold, he bought two, hoping he wasn’t going to embarrass himself.

Charlie helped Cas pick out his tux and a pretty hunter green tie that kept turning over no matter how many times Cas fixed it. They ate a snack, not sure of when they’d be able to get a table anywhere, and got dressed. Charlie was about to leave to go pick up Christie when the doorbell rang. Cas opened the door, and there was Dean in a tux and a sky blue tie.

 _What the fuck is he doing here?_  Cas asked Charlie.

“He’s your date.” She beamed as her friend’s face panicked.

Dean stood at the entry, smiling nervously. “Can I come in?”

“Yes, get in here!” Charlie said, dragging him into the house.

Dean looked at Cas, remembering how close they used to be and how that had inexplicably faded away. He missed him.  _I’m Dean_ , he signed.

Cas signed something back with abrupt movements that left him with an exasperated look on his face.

“What did he say?” Dean asked Charlie. “I didn’t know that….”

Charlie laughed. “He said, ‘I know who you are,  _you ass_.’”

Cas smiled.

Dean thought for a moment and then signed, _Will you go to prom with me?_

Cas nodded.  _Who would have known my first real date would be with you._

Dean laughed and smiled happily at Cas.  _I did._


End file.
